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The first iteration of Shopify (before it was called such) was an online store that sold snowboards. When Shopify was a store selling snowboards, it was called Snowdevil. When Shopify was first an e-commerce platform, it was called Jaded Pixel.

2006

Shopify as we know it today was founded in Ottawa by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake.

Late in the year, Shopify raised a Series A round of financing worth $7 million from from Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital and Felicis Ventures. Alex Ferrara, a Bessemer partner, joined Shopify’s board.

At the time, Shopify was processing $100 million in revenue for customers.

2011

Less than a year later, Shopify raised a Series B round. The $15 million flush of capital came from Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, Felicis Ventures, and Georgian Partners.

In 2011, 15,000 active stores across 80 countries were powered by Shopify.

In December of 2013, Shopify raised a massive $100 million Series C round. The round included existing investors Bessemer Venture Partners, FirstMark Capital, Felicis Ventures, and Georgian Partners, and as joined by Omers Ventures and New York’s Insight Ventures Partners. The capital was used to transition the company from being an e-commerce platform to being a commerce platform.

Harley Finkelstein, the company’s chief platform officer, told CBC News that “we want to build a company for the next 100 years,” which is not common among Canadian companies, who often get acquired by larger US firms before ever approaching IPO territory.

Canadian tech wunderkind Shopify has offices in three Ontario cities including their newest build in Waterloo.